"That's a great deal to make one word mean," Alice said in a thoughtful tone. "When I make a word do a lot of work like that," said Humpty Dumpty, "I always pay it extra."

Monday, 20 July 2009

Chrematophobia

 
There are all sorts of made-up words in the English language that end in phobia (fear of) or philia (love of). Some are in common usage and are generally accepted by the dictionaries. Others appear to be pure inventions.

The Superior Person's Book of Words suggests this extremely unlikely one which, Peter Bowler claims, means 'fear of money'. He goes on to describe it as the 'rarest complaint known to man'.

(I assume the h is silent and that it's pronounced KREM-at-O-phobia)
 

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